Field of the Invention
The invention relates to hypermedia objects such as hyperlink, roll-over, button, slider, and menus in hypermedia documents, and user interfaces providing simultaneously-adjustable interactively-controlled discrete and pseudo-continuous user-adjustable settings and parameters, and in particular to adapting such hypermedia objects to accept and utilize the additional number of simultaneously-adjustable interactively-controlled discrete and pseudo-continuous parameters, and uses in applications.
Overview of the Invention
The present invention provides various types of extensions to the traditional and contemporary hypermedia objects such as hyperlink, roll-over, button, menu, and slider functions found in web browsers and hypermedia documents by leveraging additional and richer collections of user interface signals provided by, for example, a High Dimensional Touchpad (HTPD, as taught for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,570,078 and pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/761,978 and 12/418,605), Advanced Mice (for example as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,557,797 pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12/619,678, 13/025,129, 13/024,569, and related pending U.S. patent applications), and other rich parameter user interfaces (for example, popular advanced touch interfaces employing multitouch and/or gestures). Additionally, images of the human hand as captured by video cameras can be used as an enhanced multiple-parameter interface responsive to hand positions and gestures (for example as taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/683,915). The collection of these various technologies will be collectively referred to as Advanced Pointing Devices (“APD”). In a scaled-back implementation, scrollwheel controls of a conventional computer mouse can be used to operate the extended features of the inventive hypermedia objects such as hyperlink, roll-over, button, menu, and slider functions.
The extensions provided by the invention include:                Directing additional user input into a hypermedia “hotspot” by clicking on it in the case of a hyperlink; and        Directing additional user input into a hypermedia “hotspot” simply from cursor overlay or proximity (i.e., without clicking on it) in the case of a roll-over.The resulting extensions will be called “Multiparameter Hypermedia Objects” (“MHO”). Potential uses of the MHOs and more generally extensions provided for by the invention include:        Using the additional user input to facilitate a rapid and/or more detailed information gathering experience in an easily-entered and completed “sub-session” within a usage session;        Potentially capturing notes from the sub-session for future use;        Potentially allowing the sub-session to retain state (such as last image displayed);        Leaving the hypermedia “hotspot” without clicking out of it.A number of user interface metaphors can be employed by the invention and/or its use, including one or more of:        Creating a pop-up visual or other visual change responsive to the rollover or hyperlink activation;        Rotating an object using rotation angle metaphors provided by the APD;        Rotating a user-experience observational viewpoint using rotation angle metaphors provided by the APD, for example, as described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/502,230 “Control of Computer Window Systems, Computer Applications, and Web Applications via High Dimensional Touchpad User Interface” by Seung Lim;        Navigating at least one (1-dimensional) menu, (2-dimensional) pallet or hierarchical menu, or (3-dimensional) space.        
Such extensions, features, and other aspects of the present invention permit far faster browsing, shopping, and information gleaning through the enhanced features of these extended functionality roll-over and hyperlink objects. The result is the advantageous employment of an APD to improve the throughput and ease of operation of a hypermedia application (for example, when doing online shopping, hypermedia reference reviews, and surfing the web) so as to obtain more information far more quickly with far less effort.